Continuously Tunable 1550nm Laser for Laboratory Use

THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research and identify potential sources of commercial products/services that satisfy the Government’s anticipated needs. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to Toptica Photonics Inc, 1120 Pittsford Victor Rd, Pittsford, New York, US, under the authority of Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) FAR 12.102(a). The North American Industry System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing.

BACKGROUND As part of a new program to build the next generation optical pressure standard to replace existing mercury- and oil-based manometers, the Sensor Science Division (SSD) within the National Institute of Standards and the Technology (NIST) Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) is developing a new Vacuum Fixed-Length Optical Cavity (VFLOC) that operates at near-infrared wavelengths (~ 1.5 to 1.6 um). For determining pressure over a wide range, a continuously tunable near-IR laser is required to measure the wavelength-dependent frequency shifts from different gases. This continuously tunable laser is critically needed to meet the

requirements of the VFLOC pressure standard. We are prototyping the next generation of vacuum pressure standards as candidates to replacing existing mercury- and oil-based manometer pressure standards. The continuously tunable laser is needed to meet this goal. The contractor shall provide a narrow linewidth, fiber-coupled continuously tunable near-IR laser that must have continuous spectral coverage over the ~1.5 um to 1.6 um wavelength. This laser must have laser head, drive electronics, and locking electronics for Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) locking. NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that will achieve the

objectives described above, and meet the following essential

requirements: Continuously Tunable 1550nm Laser Quantity: 1 Technical Specifications:

A. Laser Head + Electronics Mode-hope free wavelength tuning range between ~1.5 to 1.6 um (100 nm or greater tuning range centered at 1.5 um) Power > 10 mW over the full wavelength tuning range Fiber-coupled output Optical isolation > 60 dB over the tuning range Short-term laser linewidth (< 5 us) of 10 kHz or better Piezo wavelength tuning of 30 GHz or greater Absolute wavelength accuracy < 150 pm Electronics for current, temperature, and piezo drivers Software automated scanning of laser wavelength